Kansas spending $20M to dredge John Redmond Reservoir

Burlington  Kansas is spending about $20 million to remove sediment from the reservoir that serves as the primary water source for a nearby nuclear power plant and several communities.

The Wichita Eagle reports the project seeks to remove about 3 million cubic yards of sediment from the bottom of John Redmond Reservoir, which provides water for the Wolf Creek nuclear power plant and for several communities.

The dredging process is expected to take about a year.

The Army Corps of Engineers says the project is the first of its size for a corps reservoir and could serve as a model for other reservoir dredging projects in Kansas and around the U.S.

The Kansas Water Office says the dredging project is being paid for with money borrowed through 15-year bonds.